Lockable pliers



J y 1950 s. L. COLES 2,513,401

LOCKABLE PLIERS Filed Aug. 15, 1947 mmnnmmmnmn ./NVENTOR, SAMUEL L.COLE-3,

Patented July 4, 1950 Samuel L. Coles, Robertson, Mo.

I Application August 15, 1947, Serial No. 768,799

'7 Claims. (01. 81-49) This invention pertains to pliers and similartools for providing a firm holding grip on a small article. Y

One of the objects of this invention is to :pro-

vide such a tool with improvedmeans for locking it in holding position.

. ceptible of various embodiments, within the scope I,

of the appended claims, without departing from the principles orspiritof the invention.

. In the accompanyinggdrawing'z Fig.1 is a plan view of a pair of pliersembodying this invention.

Fig. 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Fig. l, and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail (side and end views) of the clamping screw.

Referring now to the drawing, the pliers comprise, generally, a pair oflevers having grip portions I and 2, and pivoted on a pin 3. This pivot,in the embodiment illustrated, is of the type that is shiftable toeither of a pair of sockets 4, in order to increase or decrease the gapbetween'the jaws 5 and 6.

One of thelevers, in this case lever I, is formed with .an opening Itherethrough to accommodate a clamping screw 8 passing slantwise throughthe opening. Adjacent the opening I an upward-bent lug 9 is formed onthe lever. This lug is provided with a clearance hole through which thescrew 8 passes freely. A thumbnut II! on the screw 8 is arranged to bearagainst the underside of the lug 9.

The lever 2 is provided with one or more notches II positioned toreceive the end of the screw 8. In the embodiment illustrated, a seriesof such notches is arranged in a circle centered on the pivot pin 3. Thenotches I I may be wedgeshaped, with one face vertical so as to providean abutment for the correspondingly wedge-shaped end I2 of the screw 8.In the type of pliers in which the pivot 3 is shiftable, a second seriesof notches I3 may be provided, arranged in a circle centered on theshifted position of the pivot.

The screw 8 may be formed, at its lower end, with the wedge-shapedportion I2 adapted to provide a pawl engageable in the ratchet notches II or I3. This end of the screw 8 may also have formed thereon anupstanding wing or fin I4 arranged to engage a slot I5, formed at theend of the opening I, so as to prevent turning of the screw when the nutI is turned. A web I6 may be' formed to span the lower part of theopening Y It will be noted that, while the nut II! is ma- I to keep thescrew 8 from falling out. This web my have a sloping upper face actingas a cam to lift the screw, when loosened, during rotation of the leverI to open the jaws 5 and 6.

In the operation of the tool, the same is held in the hand by the gripportions in the usual manner. In the embodiment illustrated, when soheld in the right hand the thumb of that hand will be in a convenientposition to manipulate the nut III. The grip portion may now be pressedtogether to close the jaws 5 and 6 upon the article to be held. Duringthis movement the pawl I2 rides over the notches I I (or I3) until theone best positioned for the required jaw opening is arrived at. The nutII) is then rotated by the thumb, while maintaining pressure on thegrips, so as to force the pawl l2 into the appropriate notch and tightenthe nut against the lug 9. The tool is then securely clamped upon thework. When the work is to be released the reverse operation is carriedout.

nipulated merely by the thumb, firm clamping pressure on the work can beobtained by pressure on the grips.

4 against the lug 9 to hold the pressure applied by the grips.

Similarly, in releasing the work, this pressure on the nut may berelieved by pressing the grips so as to free the nut for easymanipulation.

As the jaws are opening after loosening the screw, the web I6 moves tothe right, Fig. 2, and picks up the screw 8 thereby lifting the pawl I 2out of the notch. When the lever I is shifted to the other center forthe pivot 3, the screw 8 moves with it so as to be engageable with theother series of notches I3.

The loose fit of the screw 8 in the lug 9 provides freedom for the screwto swing up and down or sidewise as it rides over the notches I I oriii. During such swing the nut IIJ may rock upon the face of the lug 9.The underface of the lug may be rounded slightly to accommodate suchrocking and to allow slight misalignment of the screw when in clampingengagement.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A tool of the character described, comprising, a pair of pivotedlevers having jaw portions and grip portions, a screw mounted on one ofsaid levers and having a tail portion providing a pawl, said other leverbeing formed with one or more notches arranged for engagement by saidpawl to provide a purchase for said screw, and manipulating meansassociated with said screw, operable to advance said pawl intoengagement with one of said notches to lock said levers relatively tothe work held in said jaw portions.

2. A tool of the character described, comprising, a pair of pivotedlevers having jaw portions and grip portions, a screw mounted on one ofsaid levers and having a tail portion providing a pawl, said other leverbeing formed with a series of notches arranged at a uniform distancefrom the pivot-point of said levers providing a ratchet arranged toreceive said pawl, and manipulating means associated with said screw,

operable to advance said pawl into engagement;-

with one of said notches to lock said levers relatively to the work heldin said jaw portions.

3. A tool of the character described, comprising, a pair of pivotedlevers having jaw portions and grip portions, a screw mounted on one ofsaid levers and having a tail portion providing a pawl, said other leverbeing formed with one or more notches arranged for engagement by saidpawl to provide a purchase for said screw, and manipulating meansassociated with said screw, located adjacent the thumb position of ahand holding said gripportions and operable to advance said pawl intoengagement with one of said notches to lock said levers relatively tothe work held in said jaw portions.

4. A tool of the character described, compris ing, a pair of pivotedlevers having jaw portions and grip portions, a screw mounted on one ofsaid levers and having a tail portion providing a pawl, said other leverbeing'formed with a series of notches arranged at a uniform distancefrom the pivot-point of said lever providing a ratchet arranged toreceive said pawl, an abutment on said first lever, and a nut on saidscrew having rockable engagement with said abutment and operable toadvance said pawl into engagement with one of said notches to lock saidlevers relatively to the work held in said jaw portions.

5. A tool of the character described, compris- 4 said other lever beingformed with a series of notches arranged in an arc with its centersubstantially at the pivot-point of said lever providing a ratchetarranged to receive said pawl, an abutment on said first lever, and anut on said screw having rockable engagement with said abutment andoperable to advance said pawl into engagement with one of said notchesto lock said levers relatively to the workheld in said jaw portions.

6. A tool of the character described, comprising, a pair of levershaving jaw portions and grip portions, a pivot joining said levers, saidpivot being fixed to one of said levers and shiftable relatively to theother, a screw mounted on said first lever and having a tail portionformed to provide a pawl, said other lever ibeing provided ing, a pairof pivoted levers having jaw portions with a plurality of series ofnotches each series arranged in an are centered on a differentpositionof said pivot providing ratchets arranged to receive said pawl,and manipulating means associated with said screw operable to advancesaid pawl into engagement with one of said notches to lock said leversrelatively to the Work held in said jaw portions. I

'7. A tool of the character described, comprising, a pair of levershaving jaw portions and grip portions, a pivot joining said levers, saidpivot being fixed on one of said levers and shiftable relatively to theother, a screw mounted on said first lever and having a tail portionformed to provide a pawl, said other lever being provided with aplurality of series of notches each series arranged in an are centeredon a diiferent position of said pivot providing ratchets arranged toreceive said pawl, an abutment on said first lever, and a nut on saidscrew having rockable engagement with said abutment and operable toadvance said pawl into engagement with one of said notches to lock saidlevers relatively to the work held in said jaw portions.

SAMUEL L. COLES.

REFERENCES CITED The followingrferences are of record in the fileof thispatent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

